Life After Death
by candirules
Summary: This is the re-write of my original Life After Death. This takes place after Hollyleaf runs into the tunnels and everyone believes her to be dead. *One-shot*


**A/N.** This is the rewrite of Life After Death, a story I released a few years ago.

I hope you enjoy!

-Candirules

* * *

I was running for the tunnels as fast as I could, the scenery around me conforming into one big blur. My focus was entirely on the true means of escape before me, the tunnel. I just had to escape! I had to get away from this life.

Just as I had begun to enter the tunnel and leave my old Clan-life behind, I heard a loud noise surround me, overwhelming my hearing. Fearful of what it was, I started to turn around, but was stopped by the crushing weight of rock and soil. Fear ignited within me as I realized what had happened. The tunnel had collapsed... on top of me.

Just as I came to this realization, excruciating pain shot through my body. It felt like my fur was on fire! In immense pain, I tried to move to get away from the horrible pain, but my body did not respond to my mind's frenzied requests.

As quickly as the pain had arose, it disappeared. Relieved that my limbs no longer felt as if I were standing in flames, I stood up and surveyed my surroundings. I was astonished to find myself in a beautiful forest. _Where am I_, I wondered to myself. I was clearly not in the tunnels.

I glanced around and noticed that I appeared to be in the middle of a clearing in the forest. Directly in front of me lay two paths. One path lead into what appeared to be an infinite darkness. The other path led into a clearing that gave a perfect view of the starry sky.

Confused, I turned around to see what was behind me. As my eyes fell upon the shape of a body, I froze. "No..." I whispered, my voice laced with horror. The body strewn upon the ground in front of me was that of a black she-cat. It was me.

I was dead.

Stricken with grief at the loss of my own life, I wailed. "I can't be dead! My brothers need me!" I sat and wailed like a lost kit. In my misery, I failed to notice three starry figures approach me.

"Hollyleaf."

Startled, I whirled around to face the speaker. To my surprise, it was not one creature, but three. Three starry cats, to be precise. The first cat was a blue-gray she-cat with piercing blue eyes. The second cat was a large golden tom who resembled Lionblaze, causing me to remember how much he and Jayfeather needed me and how I had left them in the worst possible way. The last cat was a breathtaking dark tortoiseshell she-cat with warm amber eyes.

The blue-gray she-cat stepped forward. "I am Bluestar, the leader of ThunderClan prior to Firestar. This is Lionheart and Spottedleaf," She said, pointing at the golden tom and the dark tortoiseshell respectively. Both cats dipped their heads in a friendly, yet formal, greeting.

Lionheart looked at me, his gaze seeming to pierce into my soul. "Hollyleaf, there are two paths in front of you. One leads to the Dark Forest, the afterlife of those who have wronged others. The other path leads to StarClan, the afterlife of all of those who have striven to do their best."

Lionheart turned to me, looking me directly into the eyes, his own amber eyes very serious. "Hollyleaf, your judgment time has arrived."

"Hollyleaf," The tortoiseshell, Spottedleaf, said my name in a melodic voice. "You have murdered another cat. Not only that, but it was a crime against a fellow member of your Clan! Due to this... your chance of joining the ranks of StarClan may be reduced..." Her voice trailed off, her eyes clouded with sympathy.

Bluestar looked at her companions. "Lionheart, Spottedleaft, we must speak in private." The two starry cats followed Bluestar down the starry path and into the clearing, where they disappeared from my sight.

After what seemed a moon, the sound of pawsteps alerted me of their return to the forest clearing. I looked at them, scared of what their verdict might be. Their eyes remained expressionless, and gave away nothing. My heart began to race in anticipation of possibly being sent to the Dark Forest.

Bluestar's piercing eyes stared into my own. "The murder of Ashfur was not your fault," She said. "It was ours. If we had told you and your brothers about your real parents sooner, none of this would have happened."

She paused and turned to look at Spottedleaf. The tortoiseshell's amber eyes were filled with joy. "Welcome to StarClan," She purred.

I couldn't believe it. At the sound of those words, I knew that everything would be okay. Holding my head high, I walked down the path and into the stars.


End file.
